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Corona del Mar's Toastmasters Group Aim To Perfect the Art of Public Speaking

It's 7 a.m. in the back room of Coco's in Corona del Mar, and the crowd is all ears, waiting for the speeches to begin at the regular meeting of the Harborlites Toastmasters club.

"It's daunting, it's scary — but don't get scared," President Andy Pais tells the group, which includes some visitors as well as longtime members. "Toastmasters gets you pumped. It's not just public speaking, but leadership, and organization."

The group is part of the international Toastmasters organization, which began in a YMCA in Santa Ana in 1924. Today, the groups have 260,000 members in about 12,500 clubs in 113 countries, according to Toastmasters International's website.

The Corona del Mar group meets for 90 minutes over breakfast every Thursday, following a schedule that includes impromptu speeches by randomly selected members, along with prepared speeches and then evaluations that cover everything from grammar, body language and timing. About two dozen people are full-time members.

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Rutherford Maule, a private chef, visited a recent meeting and received rave reviews for his off-the-cuff speech that incorporated the word that day — gizmo.

"I'll be back for sure," Maule said.

He hopes to improve his speaking skills in order to make it on "The Next Food Network Star," a reality show that picks a winner who combines cooking, teaching and television skills.

Other visitors said they hoped to perfect work presentations, or to improve their skills in dealing with the public.

"Toastmasters has helped me build confidence when speaking to people, either one on one or in groups," said Tim Krueger, a Corona del Mar real estate consultant who has been a member for two years. "The one thing that has helped me the most is hearing other club members speak. There is a wealth of knowledge from every club member and they all bring something different to the club. It's a great place to learn and grow."

Members include business leaders, lawyers, medical professionals and others who have varying levels of expertise. Membership is $40 per month, and visitors are invited to drop by. For more information, visit the group's website.

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